Whipping top



July 17, 1962 FIGJ.

J. T. LANCASTER WHIPPING TOP Filed NOV. 24, 1958 INVENTOR.

JOHN T. LANCASTER BY Q ATTORNEYS nited States Patented July 17, 19623,644,212 WHIPPING TOP John T. Lancaster, 20231 Damman Ave., HarperWoods 36, Mich. Filed Nov. 24, 1953, Ser. No. 775,940 1 Claim. (Cl.46-67) This invention relates to toys and refers more particularly to animproved Whipping top toy, including a top having a concave uppersurfaceand a low center of gravity, and a whip member having a two section lashwith a frayed end.

In the past whipping tops have not been as commercially successful asthe entertainment value of the top as conceived would indicate theyshould be. Certain structural and'operating difficulties of the knowntypes of whipping tops are believed to be responsible for publicdisinterest in this toy.

In the past the top members of whipping tops have had relatively highcenters of gravity and smooth sides at least on the upper portionthereof. Such construction makes it difficult to start the top memberspinning and to keep it spinning once it has been started. The topmember is more unstable than necessary when it has a high center ofgravity and the whip part of the toy tends to slip off the smooth sidesthereof.

The whip members of whipping tops have in the past generally includedlash members consisting of a single relatively flexible smooth, solidmember or. several such members attached to a short rod or handle. Thiswhip construction adds to the slipping between the lash and the topmember referred to above as no means is provided on either the lash ortop to offer resistance to such slipping. Furthermore, in the prior artwhen the whip lash wore out the replacement thereof Was generallycomplicated and required the purchasing of a special lash member.

It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to provide awhipping top including a top member having a low center of gravity.

Another object is to provide a whipping top including g a top memberhaving annular grooves along substantially the full length thereof.

Another object is to provide a whipping top including a topmember'having a concave upper surface and a convex lower portion.

Another object is to provide a whipping top including a whip having alash with a replaceable end section.

' Another object is to-provide a whipping top including a whip having alash with a replaceable end section, the end of the replaceable endsection being frayed.

Another object is to provide a whipping top including a whip having alash comprising a fixed end section and a free end section, the free endsection being relatively more flexible than the fixed end section.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a whipping topwhich is simple in construction, economical to produce, and eflicient inoperation.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparentas the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a top member of a whipping top accordingto the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the top member of FIGURE 1 takenon line 22 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a Whip member of a whipping topaccording to the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of another embodiment of a top member of awhipping top according to the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings thereference numeral 10 generally indicates a top and reference numeral 12generally indicates a whip. The top 10 and the whip 12 as shown make acomplete whipping top according to the present invention. In use, thetop 10 is started spinning by any means such as by hand. It is caused tocontinue spinning by whipping it with whip 12.

Top 10 may be made of Wood in the form illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2.The top shown is symmetrical about vertical axis 14 and is adapted tospin about this axis. Top 10 has a concave upper surface 16. The lowerportion of top 10 has a pronouncedly convex surface 18 as shown. A metallong wearing tip 20 is provided on the lower end of top 10. The tip 20is located on axis 14. The metal tip 20 is provided for spinning the topon concrete, tile, Wood or materials of a like nature. Where it is foundthat surfaces may be damaged the tip 2% may be replaced with a tip madeof wood, plastic, bone or other non-damaging material. A plurality ofspaced apart annular grooves 22 as shown are provided on the exteriorsurface of top 10 over substantially the full length or height of thetop. Top 10 may be made of any convenient material such as for examplewood.

With the top 10 constructed as illustrated, having a concave uppersurface 16 and a convex lower surface 18, the center of gravity of top10 will be relatively low. The low center of gravity of applicants top10 produced by the particular configuration thereof as illustratedgreatly reduces the tendency of the top 10 to fall from an uprightposition with axis 14 substantially vertical as it is when it isspinning to a position on its side with axis 14 substantiallyhorizontal. The ease with which the top 10 is started spinning istherefore increased} Also, since the top tends to tip less easily it isless difficult to keep the top 10 spinning by whipping it with whip 12.

The grooves 22 on apphcants top 10 are provided to aid in starting thespinning motion of the top and also coact with lash 24 on Whip 12 tokeep the top spinning. The top 10 may be started spinning by grasping itinthe hand and rotating it while holding it vertical with wearing point20 resting on a relatively smooth dense surface. Alternatively the topmay be held loosely with axis 14 in a vertical position and struck with12 to start it spinning. The annular grooves 22 serve to provide asurface which may be easily grasped. The grooves also serve to keep thewhip lash 24 from slipping olf the sur face of the top 10 when the topis whipped.

Whip 12 of the whipping top toy includes a rigid rod or handle 26 and awhip lash generally indicated 24. Rod 26 as shown is a short cylindricalsection having an opening 28 therethrough at right angles to the axisthereof near one end 30. Lash 24 includes a fixed end section 32 and afree end section 34. The fixed end section 32 of lash 24 is relativelylonger than the free end section 34. Lash 24 is flexible. The free endsection 34 of lash 24 is more flexible than the fixed end section 32.

Section 32 of lash 24 is secured to whip handle 26 by passing end 36 oflash section 32 through opening 28 in end 30 .of handle 26, returning italong the surface of the handle, and fixing the end 36 to rod 26 byconvenient means such as staples 38. End 40 of section 32 of lash 24 isreturned along itself to form a loop 42 in the end thereof. End 40 issecured to the end portion of section 32 by convenient means such astape 44.

Free end section 34 of lash 24 as shown is attached to loop 42 of fixedend section 32 by means of looping the mid-portion 46 of section 34about one side of loop 42 of the fixed end section 32 and passing ends48 and 50 through the loop 42 from the other side thereof. In thismanner free end section 34 is securely fastened to fixed-end section 32'of lash 24 and lash 24 is provided with a pair of flexible ends 48 and50 for striking top 10. The ends 48 "and 50 are frayed as shown at 52and 54. V y

Handle 26 may be wood, plastic, metalor other suitable rigid, light,relatively strong material. The fixed endsection 32 of lash 24 may be ofany material which would give a firm tough pliable but not limp effectwhen swinging. 'It should swing as a whole mass rather than a wrigglypiece of matter. Leather, nylon condage,

woven glass and plastic tubing are suitable materials for I end section32. of lash 24 is made must be more ilexible than that of section 32,strong, .and capable of being frayed at the also be used for end section34.

The material from which endsection 34 7 End section 32 of lash 24 mustbe less flexible than end section 34 so that as the top 10 is whippedwith the whip 12 the section 32 is sufficiently rigid to provide end 34with the proper snap to impart a sufficient force to top 10 tomaintainit in a spinning attitude. The

greater flexibility of end section 34 allows end section 34 to wraparound top 10 when top '14} is whipped with whip 12 therebyallowing'greater Whip contact with the top 10 and also allowing grooves22 to coact with member 34 to keep it in contact with top .10 longerthereby helping to impart more spinning force to top '10.

The connection between fixed end section 32 and free 7 end section 34 oflash 24 at loop 42 as shown is such as to allow removal and replacementof free end section 32.

Thus, as free end section 32 is worn out in use by whipping top 10therewith it may be, replaced. Since the free end of lash 24 is the onlyelement of the toy subject to substantial wear the, toy is thereforesubstantially permanent. This is especially true since'rthe free end 34may be of sash cord which is cheap and easily obtainable.

The frayed ends 52 and 54 are provided on the ends 48 and 50 of free endsection 34 of lash 24 to provide greater traction 'between'the lash 24and the surface of top. 10 to impart aspinnging motion to thetop 10 whenit is struck by whip'12. The frayed ends serve a double function in thecooperation between top 10 and whip 12. They are easily received withingrooves 22 to prevent lash 24 from slipping off of top 10 withouttransferring maximum rotational force thereto. They also serve to removethe whip lash 24 from top 10 in a gradual manner by leaving the surfaceof the top 10 in a distributed whipping movement thcreby causing minimumdisturbance to the balanced condition of the top 10 at this time.

In FIGURE 4 a modified top 56 is illustrated. Top 56 like top 10 has aconcave upper surface 58 and a 'low center of gravity. Annular grooves60 are also provided on the exterior surface of top 56.

In addition the surface of top 56 is convex between grooves 60 as shownat 62. Like top 10, top 56 is provided with a wearing point. 64. Aspreviously indicated in connection with top 10 the grooves 60 serve tokeep the whip lash from x 4 V slipping olf top 56 when the top iswhipped in use and provide a surface which is. easily gripped. Theconvex surfaces 62 serve the same function.

In use either top 10 or top 56 of the whipping top toy may be given aninitial spinning motion about a vertical axis such as 14 of top 10 byany convenient method such ashy hand. The top is then whipped with whip12 to cause it to continue to spin. For best results the whipping shouldbe accomplished so that only the more flexible free end 34 of lash 24 ofwhip 12 makes contact with the spinning top. Proper whipping of the topwith the whip will cause the top to continue to spin indefinitely.

What I claim as my invention is:

A whipping top toy comprising a top adapted to spin about a verticalaxis therethrough, said top having a substantially entirely concavetop'surface and side and bottom surfaces substantially entirely convexwhereby said top has a center of gravity substantially below themidheight thereof, axially spaced apart annular grooves on said top oversubstantially the entire side and bottom exterior surfaces thereof, anda whip for imparting a force to said top while it is spinning to causesaid top to continue to spin including a rigid handle and a lash securedto one end of said handle, said lash having a fixed end section one endof which is secured to the'handle at one end of the handle and a freeend section the center of which is removably secured to the other end ofthe fixed end section, the fixed end section of the lash being moreflexible than the rigid handle and less flexible than the free endsection whereby onswinging the whip in an arc the fixed end section ofthe ash olfers substantial air resistance and closely follows themovement of the handle while the free end section offers little airresistance and does not follow the movement of the handle closely butwraps readily around the top on contact therewith to provide asubstantial area of contact between the top and the free end section ofthe lash over which force may be transferred from the whip to the top,said free end section of the lash having a pair of frayed free ends toprovide a wiping action on the side surfaces of the top during forcetransfer from the whip to the top to increase the efiiciency of theforce transferred therebetween.

References Cited in the are of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 399,158France Apr. 10, 1909

